Tag: UNC Athletics

North Carolina Athletics plans to launch NIL Collective

North Carolina Athletics plans to launch what could be a game-changing recruiting platform for NIL deals.

Over the last few years, the “Name, Image, and Likeness,” otherwise known as NIL, deals have taken the college athletics landscape by storm. Instead of distinguished programs, facilities, coaches, and academics, money has been the main discussion in recruiting ventures.

North Carolina Tar Heels head football coach, Mack Brown, noticed that UNC’s lack of NIL availability was going to lead to the loss of potential recruits and the downsizing of the talent in each program.

This dedication has led to the proposed new “Carolina NIL” which will feature a collective of NIL sponsors managed by Old Well Management. According to CBS17, the collective will “provide a one-stop shop for UNC athletes looking for NIL services.”

UNC Athletic Director had this to say about the collective. “We are committed to providing championship opportunities for our student-athletes, and consolidating and enhancing our NIL services through Carolina NIL is our next step in this new era of college athletics.”

Even head basketball coach Hubert Davis notices the importance of the NIL in present-day college athletics. The basketball program has been one of the most prestigious in the nation for decades, but Davis is still in need of NIL money to lure four or five-star talent to Chapel Hill.

It will take time to see how this collective will lead to better stars on campus, but the ceiling of potential talent has gone up with the proposition of Carolina NIL.

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SEC analyst believes UNC is the ‘prize’ in conference realignment

Will UNC be the most attractive team for the Big Ten and SEC to pursue?

As we approach the Summer months, conference realignment continues to be a big story in athletics. Even with the Big Ten and SEC adding programs for the 2024-25 year, rumors are flying.

And the University of North Carolina continues to be mentioned in those rumors.

Braden Gall of 440 Sports was a guest on The Paul Finebaum Show Monday afternoon as they discussed conference realignment. The topic centered around the Atlantic Coast Conference and where things stand.

Gall had some interesting things to say about programs and even told Finebaum he thinks UNC is the prized possession in all of this.

“I think they are the prized possession. We talk a lot about Florida State’s lawsuit and Clemson’s lawsuit. I think North Carolina is the prize,” Gall said. “The question is. Who has the power? I think North Carolina is an SEC team. From a rivalry standpoint, great rivalry with South Carolina. It’s far more of a Southern program in my opinion. The baseball team is really good. It just fits in better in my opinion with the SEC from an athletic standpoint and a culture standpoint. Academically, it’s maybe more of a Big Ten school.”

Gall has some good points in terms of athletics where it fits in and the AAU with academics and the Big Ten. But would UNC even want the Big Ten?

“But most people I talk to around the program, they don’t want to go to the Big Ten,” Gall said. “They don’t want to play games against those Big Ten teams in any sport. It’s a matter of who wants what. Is North Carolina trying to get into the SEC? Do they care if its the Big Ten? Does the Big Ten desperately want North Carolina more than the SEC does?”

Gall went on to say that we would be lying to ourselves if we don’t think that these conversations weren’t being had. And it sure feels like that.

For now, nothing appears to be in the works as the ACC is still around but it does feel like the eventual route is for programs to break off. If that happens, North Carolina will continue to be at the center of it all.

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Report surfaces that UNC BoT pushing to leave the ACC

Will the University of North Carolina leave the Atlantic Coast Conference? A new report suggests it could be heading that way.

The rumors of realignment in college athletics are back and the latest report on Monday afternoon focused solely on the University of North Carolina and its future in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

A report from WRAL suggests that the university Board of Trustees has met several times in closed-door sessions about the future of athletics and that a push to leave the ACC is becoming more and more likely.

Dave Boliek was named in the report from WRAL as a member who is pushing for UNC to leave the ACC and join a new conference:

“I am advocating for that,” he said. “That’s what we need to do. We need to do everything we can to get there. Or the alternative is the ACC is going to have to reconstruct itself. I think all options are on the table.”

The issues of revenue are a serious concern for athletics, especially in the ACC for the university. Per WRAL, the athletic department submitted a preliminary budget proposal with a $17 million deficit for the 2024-25 academic year and $100 million in cumulative deficits moving forward.

Something needs to be fixed or changed to address the situation and the university isn’t getting much help from the ACC. That’s were realignment comes in.

UNC’s Bubba Cunningham did not comment on the matter but will be at the BoT’s meeting on Thursday:

Joining one of the “power two” conferences like the Big Ten or SEC would provide more revenue for the university. However, it would also be a big death blow to the ACC that has seen Florida State and Clemson flirting with leaving the conference.

North Carolina could be the first big domino to leave and from there, it could open the door for more programs to make the move.

UNC will be well-represented on Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Four UNC student-athletes, including football players Elijah Green and Christopher Holliday, are on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

For all the success UNC has enjoyed across all sports, its student-athletes also enjoy a lot of success in the classrooms.

Yes, you might hear the occasional hater joke about football players taking fake classes or N.C. State fans calling Carolina UN-Cheat, but that’s bound to happen when a school isn’t the athletic powerhouse UNC is.

All the attention is on football right now and, rightfully so. The Tar Heels are 4-0, their best start since 1997, when Mack Brown coached his first stint in Chapel Hill. Fans are eagerly awaiting the Oct. 7 home game against Syracuse, which will match two undefeated teams.

While we’re following along with women’s soccer and all the additional Fall sports teams, let’s take a moment to recognize four outstanding student-athletes.

Football players Elijah Green and Christopher Holiday, golfer Riley Quarterman and swimmer Perry Becker were named to the 2023-2024 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

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This committee plays an integral role in bridging the gap between a school’s administration and its student-athlete population. With Green, Quartermain, Becker and Holliday being named to the SAAC, they will, essentially, be able to put forth their ideas on what can improve the student-athlete experience at UNC.

“There is no committee more important than the respective campus and conference student-athlete advisory committees,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told GoHeels.com. “The members of this incredibly significant committee serve as a collective voice for our nearly 10,000 student-athletes and provide critical feedback and perspective as our league strives to fulfill the ACC’s mission to maximize the educational and athletic opportunities that shape our leaders of tomorrow.”

Green, who led the football team in rushing last year, has played sparingly this season with the return of British Brooks and emergence of Omarion Hampton. Holliday has appeared solely on special teams in his four years as a Tar Heel, totaling two tackles. Becker, who set personal bests in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke last year, kicks off the swimming/diving season with his teammates on Friday, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. at Queens University in Charlotte. Quartermain played in 7/12 matches for UNC last year, including five starts, averaging 76 strokes across 15 rounds.

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Twitter reacts to UNC hosting Chelsea-Wrexham

Fans from all over packed Kenan Stadium on Wednesday, July 19 for the historic Chelsea-Wrexham match. See how people reacted on Twitter.

Wednesday was a historic day at UNC’s Kenan Stadium, as it hosted Chelsea-Wrexham for the first-ever professional soccer match in its 95-year history.

Normally covered in Carolina Blue for Tar Heel Football games, Kenan was decked out in English soccer gear. There were team shops for both squads on the main concourse, Chelsea and Wrexham banners donning the lower bowl, plus the 50,000+ fans in red, white and blue – several from out-of-state – packing the stands to watch an English power go up against a mighty, up-and-coming squad.

The match did not disappoint. Wrexham kept things close early, going into halftime down just 2-0 and even earning a couple of solid scoring chances in the box, but ultimately ended up losing 5-0.

It almost felt like a home-field advantage for Chelsea – nearly everywhere fans looked, they saw royal blue. Despite the thousands of “Let’s Go Wrexham” chants, Chelsea fans roared after each of their five goals.

UNC should evaluate the impact of Chelsea-Wrexham and the benefits of hosting such a historic soccer match. Wednesday night was certainly a success and hopefully, it paves the way for other opportunities.

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UNC diver Vazquez Montano wins Silver at World Aquatic Championships

Aranza Vazquez Montano, a diver at UNC, won two individual medals and helped win a team medal at the World Aquatic Championships this week.

The college sports season is just a month away, with fans anticipating the start of football, volleyball, soccer and field hockey season.

There’s plenty to be excited about if you’re a UNC fan, particularly around the Drake Maye-led football team coming off an appearance in the ACC Championship Game.

Carolina fans should also be excited about one of its Winter athletes.

Diver Aranza Vazquez Montano, a rising senior, claimed her second medal of the 2023 World Aquatic Championships on Tuesday by winning silver in diving’s mixed three-meter and 10-meter team event.

Vazquez helped Mexico score 455.35 points in its second-place, 10-meter team finish. She won her first medal earlier that day, finishing third in the one-meter springboard competition.

There was another Tar Heel connection in the competition, as former diver Anton Down-Jenkins helped New Zealand to a 13th-place finish.

Vazquez will have a few more chances to add onto her medal total, as the Championships run until Sunday, July 30. She can compete in Wednesday’s 10-meter Women’s Platform event, two 3-Meter Springboard events on Thursday, a 3-meter Springboard event on Friday and a 3-meter Springboard Mixed Synchro event on Saturday.

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Meet Amari Gainer, a much-needed boost to the Tar Heel defense

Linebacker Amari Gainer can give the UNC football defense a big boost this season.

The University of North Carolina football team’s offense grabbed national attention last year – mainly thanks to talented quarterback Drake Maye and his trusty wide receiver duo of Josh Downs and Antoine Green.

The Heels finished their season ranked Top 20 in the FBS in several categories – sixth in passing yards (4,330), 11th in passing yards/game (309.3), 12th in total yards (6,479) and 19th in total yards/game (462.8)

Defense, unfortunately, was the polar opposite.

Carolina allowed 5,697 yards across 13 games, the seventh-worst mark in the FBS. Its 438.2 yards per game allowed was slightly better, but it still ranked 17th-worst.

To help shore up their defense, the Heels snagged a linebacker through the transfer portal, graduate transfer Amari Gainer from Florida State.

Gainer, who chose Carolina over the likes of national powers Alabama, Ohio State, 2021 CFP semifinalist Cincinnati and Big 12 school West Virginia, is a player UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik is pretty excited about.

“He’s very conscientious as a football player,” Chizik said, according to TarHeelIllustrated’s Andrew Jones. “He loves the game, he’s a violent player, he plays really hard. It really is important for him to learn what’s going on. So, he never takes a rep off, it doesn’t matter if he’s in there or not. When you see him with me, even when he’s not in, we’re talking things through every single rep.”

Gainer is also excited about joining Carolina, calling it the perfect spot to prepare himself for the next level.

“When it comes down to it, it’s about going to the next level,” Gainer said, according to Jones. “As far as connections and relationships, it was hard, but life’s hard. Making that jump, making that decision was a risk betting on myself. Going back to my natural position at outside linebacker kind of played a pivotal role into me being here.”

Despite limited action last year, with just 17 tackles and a sack across seven games, Gainer registered 210 tackles across 46 games at Florida State. He was the Seminoles’ career-leading tackler among members on last year’s squad.

According to Jones, Gainer will slot in at the jack linebacker slot (outside linebacker). He’ll join a linebacking corps with 100-tackle players Cedric Gray and Power Echols, giving Carolina what should be one of the most vaunted units in college football.

Even though the Heels only have him for one year, Gainer should get fans excited and give them plenty of hope in improving a bottom-ranked defense.

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ACC Network to host ‘UNC Takeover’ day this week

UNC athletics will be spotlighted on the ACC Network’s “takeover” marathon for Saturday.

As the summer continues on, the ACC Network is giving each school in the conference a day to celebrate with the  “ACC Network School Takeover.”

Each day through July 15th, a new school will be featured for the takeover showcasing the best moments from the previous school year. And this week, North Carolina will be featured on Saturday.

The marathon will begin on midnight Saturday and will include men’s basketball, football, wrestling, baseball, men’s soccer, women’s field hockey, softball, women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse and women’s soccer. The full schedule can be found at Tar Heel Tribune including the times and what event will be showcased.

The highlight of the marathon will be Erin Matson helping the UNC field hockey team capture another national championship with the win over Northwestern.

Make sure to tune into the ACC Network on Saturday to see some memorable games from last season with the Tar Heels.

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National writer says UNC is an ‘unbelievable brand’ amidst expansion talks

National college athletics writer Pete Thamel says the UNC brand is incredible and that the school is the most valuable for expansion talks.

No one knows what the next domino that falls will be in college athletics with expansion after USC and UCLA shook things up by joining the Big Ten last week. But in the days since, the talk has centered around which teams could be on the move next and how the conferences will expand in the coming years.

One program that is being talked about a lot is the University of North Carolina and rightfully so. UNC is a powerful brand that other conferences should (and will) have interest in for expansion talks.

While UNC’s football program isn’t at the prominent level as some of these other schools just yet, the basketball program is right there with anyone in the country. And that’s intriguing for conferences.

National writer Pete Thamel echoed similar thoughts last week while appearing on The Paul Finebaum Show to talk expansion. Thamel had nothing but great things to say about UNC and its brand:

“So, I think the most compelling program is perhaps when you go to the spreadsheets and pay a lot of money to the consultants. They tell you the most valuable is North Carolina. It has an unbelievable brand. It stretches across a wide swath of a highly populated state. Their football clearly hasn’t been as successful as Clemson, there’s no question. And basketball is really only–even in a league like the ACC–a 15 percent proposition,” Thamel said.

Whether we like it or not, there’s going to be talk about UNC moving on from the Atlantic Coast Conference, especially if there’s revenue involved with the move, which there is. I’m traditional and I love the ACC but right now, the conference doesn’t look as strong as the Big Ten and SEC with expansion. Plus, we could be heading for a system where it’s 4 large conferences battling it out each year.

Already there’s been rumors and reports connecting UNC to the Big Ten as well as the SEC. Nothing is concrete just yet but we are just going to have to get used to hearing the Tar Heels being connected to these conferences.

Buckle up.

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